How can you get the skunk smell out of your house?

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Quick Answer

You can remove the skunk smell from a house by placing open containers of vinegar around the affected room. Put on rubber gloves and scrub hard surfaces using an appropriate cleaning solution. Consider hiring a professional for cleaning fabric surfaces, such as curtains or carpets.

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The containers of vinegar are powerful odor absorbers. Place them near any furniture the skunk spray affects. Because the odor of skunk is strong, it sometimes takes a couple of days for the vinegar to work.

For stone countertops, scrub the surface with a dilute solution of bleach and water, following the manufacturer's directions. For wood surfaces, use a mixture of ammonia and water, but do not mix the ammonia and chlorine bleach when cleaning.

If you decide to attempt cleaning carpets yourself, rent a carpet-cleaning machine. Add a deodorizing solution to the cleaning water.

Often skunk smell comes into a home through a pet the skunk sprays. Keep the pet outside if possible and use a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and dish soap to remove the sent from its fur. Use the mixture immediately upon mixing, as the peroxide is unstable and loses its effectiveness quickly. Home remedies such as tomato juice, citrus cleaners or deodorizers have little effect on removing the odor from a pet.